


The Dam

by Hopeamarsu



Category: Tracks (2013)
Genre: Angst, Break Up, F/M, M/M, Sad Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 02:27:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29361009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hopeamarsu/pseuds/Hopeamarsu
Summary: Not everything in life will work out. That's just life.
Relationships: Rick Smolan/You
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	The Dam

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that this story is not a happy one and does not have a happy ending.

When you realized that your feelings had changed, it should’ve hurt more. But it didn’t, because this had been weeks in the making.

All those canceled plans, all those surprise trips Rick Smolan (the photographer extraordinaire all the city was raving about, and your boyfriend) had taken over the course of your relationship, all those lonely nights in your shared apartment, it had all boiled down to this.

The love had died, withered away, to be replaced by somewhat warm friendship. As much of a friendship as one could have with a man constantly on the move anyway.

Tonight was no different, he was packing for yet another trip in the bedroom, mouth moving as he told you of his assignment. But it was all static to you, your mind focused on one thing and one thing only.

It had to end tonight. No more waiting, no more stalling, no more heartache. There was no other way. 

“Rick.” You spoke, your voice clear from the doorway.

The tall man, long legs encased in denim and wearing your favorite green sweater, stopped his actions and turned those soulful eyes to yours. You always had loved those eyes, the brown whirlpools filled with happiness, love for adventure, and enthusiasm for capturing that perfect photo. In fact, his eyes had been the ones to draw you in, a full lifetime ago. 

As he looked at you, you came to another realization. In those whirlpools, there was no longer space for the love he had once had for you. The intensity of that love was gone now.

It should have sent chills down your spine, made tears fill your eyes but it didn’t. It only gave your earlier realization more power, this was the right thing to do for both of you.

“It’s over, isn’t it baby?”

His voice was deep, a hint of something in it. Sadness? No, not really. Acceptance? Possibly. He knew it too, it was no surprise. Rick had always been observant, it was part of what made him a great photographer. He knew how to read people, read hidden emotions and micro-expressions. And he had always been excellent at reading you. 

”Yeah.” You nodded.

“I’m sorry baby.”

“It’s okay, Rick. It’s just, uh… it’s just something that happened, it’s not your fault.” You shrugged from the doorway. It was a small white lie, but there was no reason to dig the knife in any deeper. Because despite the circumstances, you didn’t blame him. Sometimes life just didn’t work out and this was one of those times. 

Rick sighed as he placed his hands on top of his packed bag. He looked down for a moment, allowing that unruly mop of dark brown curls to obscure your view of him. Rick had never been one for confrontation, so you let him have this moment to collect himself, collect his thoughts. 

A few tense moments passed before he looked at you again, the whirlpools now twisting and turning. An abundance of emotions was flashing there; too fast for you to identify, too many of them to separate from one another.

You waited in silence for him to speak but Rick just looked at you. It almost seemed as he was taking you in for the final time, capturing your image to his inner film reel, allowing that one moment to be immortalized in his mind.

The moment finally captured, a small grain engraved in the sands of time, he picked up his bag from the bed. Rick crossed the room in three strides and he stood in front of you. 

His smell, the pinewood and leather oil with a hint of chili powder, and something unique to him only surrounded you and you inhaled the sweet concoction once more. That smell had kept you company for many nights, his shirts wrapped around you as you fell asleep alone in your bed and you would miss it so much once it was gone. 

He leaned forward, bending a little at the waist with his massive height. A soft kiss on your forehead lingered as Rick’s free hand wrapped around your waist to pull you into him. Like a thief, you took it, memorized the feel of his skin on yours, his wide chest pressed against your chest. 

The smell intensified and the warmth that the man radiated penetrated your muscles, loosening the tension that had gathered there. Being in his embrace felt right, it always had. 

“Have a safe trip, sweetheart.” You whispered, eyes closed as both of you lingered in the embrace. As much as the decision had been final, neither of you wanted to be the first to leave that embrace.

He was the first to break and his hand slipped away from your waist. The spot felt cold all of a sudden, but you stubbornly refused to ask him to hug you one last time. He murmured something under his breath, something that sounded too much like _“I will always love you”_ but that was a road you didn’t want to walk on. Not now, not anymore.

“Goodbye, my sweet sunshine.”

Your eyes remained closed as his warm breath tickled your ear with his whisper. His lips grazed the spot behind your ear, the one spot that always caused shivers in your body. You kept them closed as he sidestepped your body in the doorway, his heavy footsteps carrying him to the front door. Not turning to look, you heard him open the door, sigh, and step outside. 

As the door closed, the dam broke.


End file.
